Uk Visa For Thai Gf

[Sharpie100]

Hi ,

Im looking for some general help regarding my Thai girlfriend. We have known each other 3 months and In that time i have been to Thailand twice to spend time with her of 5 weeks in total. My girlfriend is 23 and married a Scotsman at 19 and spent 2.5 years in Scotland and the UK before he left her in the UK and went to amsterdam, never to see her again. She returned to her family in Thailand off her own steam and has worked in a bar for the past year.

My question is that in March 2008 I want to return to see her for a third time and we hope to try and get her a visa. But i am unsure that it will be given and feel we may be better off waiting until November 2008. Does anybody have any pointers to this.

The problem is i dont have much holiday left as I work for a big company who give me 25 days.

~ I am 32 and never been married , I have my own mortaged property and earn £21000 a year.

Please advise

[PhilHarries]

Assuming this is a genuine enquiry, and not from the underpass, and for no other reason than to pull it forward to the first page I'll sick my oar in.

I would say your chances of her getting a visa are minimal to nil. The only thing she has in her favour is that she's had one before and, presumably, was completely legit.

"she has worked in a bar for the last year" is the killer blow. AFAIK if the embassy get this little gem you've no chance.

"We have known each other for three months" is not exactly a long and meaningful relationship is it? Particularly as you've spent a whole five weeks together, a back to back holiday fling.

What proof can you offer of the length of this relationship apart from a couple of Western Union transfer slips and some sick buffalo e mails?

What money does she have of her own and what reason does she have to return to Thailand?

Now the one that seals it. You have a mortaged property on £21,000 per year? What is it, a cardboard box on the south bank? Even in the north you'd be hard pressed to get a mortgage on that as a single person.

I apologise to the other forum members but why should I be the only one to waste five minutes of my life on this obvious...............

[vinny]

Did she, by any chance, obtain an ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) during the 2.5 years when she was in the UK? If she had, then she may return, as a returning resident, to settle within two years since leaving the UK, without a visa.

[Mahout Angrit]

It would be easier to offer advice if we knew what sort of visa she previously had, if and how it was extended while she was in UK and how long ago that was. Is she still married to the Scotsman and when she actually left the UK?

You also don't say whether you want her to visit UK with you (or alone) to return after her holiday to continue in the bar or whether you want her to move back to UK to live permanently.

Edited January 3, 2008 by Mahout Angrit

[Sharpie100]

Hi guys and girls,

Ok let me just say thanks to those who replyed with questions which may help. As for Mr PhilHarries, well i understand the points youve made and thats why i asked the questions origanally, we need help in planning this for the future, hence aiming for November 2008. I dont want to waste anyones time, least of all yours. I thankyou for your to the point....points. I assure you this is genuine

Just to clear a few brief mistakes made on my previous post

1, I do earn £21000 a year and have a very nice 2 bedroom bungalow worth £255000 with £155000 equity, property boom of past 5 years living in the SOUTH coast, lucky me.

2, yes she is married, but in March we are getting her divorced.

3, Her visa was a wife / marriage visa

4 Not sure about the ILR, she doesn't know what it is either, need someone to translate into thai and she speaks great scottish, has scottish accent, weird, but very cute.

5, she now works in a hair salon, so by november, she will have a better work record, bless her

6, I would like her to visit UK for with me, then if all goes well return to thailand get married and then get married at some point in UK. I realise i sound like im clueless to how the whole visa system works, thats because i am. theres honesty for ya!!!!!!

[the scouser]

What Vinny was getting at is that if your girlfriend previously spent 2.5 years in the UK, she may already have permanent residence (indefinite leave) and a further visa may not be required providing she has not spent more than 2 years outside the UK. Check her passport and see what the UK endorsements say.

Scouse.

[Sharpie100]

Hi scouse,

thanks for that, I chatted to her today and it turns out that she had a 1 year Fiancee visa and then got a marraige visa which runs out in Sept 07, so she retuned to UK in Sept 06. Does that mean she can return to UK anytime, even though she has no contact with her husband and will be getting divorced in March.

cheers

[Mossfinn]

Hi ,

Im looking for some general help

Sharpie, I responded to your other request on Maichords thread, before I saw this one, you are getting the best advice from some good guys here, so it is best left to them.

Good Luck

Some serious assuptions here Phil,

I would say your chances of her getting a visa are minimal to nil.

Depending on her history, possibly not.

"she has worked in a bar for the last year" is the killer blow. AFAIK if the embassy get this little gem you've no chance.

Incorrect, if she is totally honest, people who choose this career, do get visa's, liars who are caught out, don't.

"We have known each other for three months" is not exactly a long and meaningful relationship is it? Particularly as you've spent a whole five weeks together, a back to back holiday fling.

Well that it is pretty much OK, if they want to build a life here based upon their relationship for a Visa, they will more than likely have to build more time together, in his defence, he did say later this year, which will allow more time.

and some sick buffalo e mails?

No mention of any monetary requests, AFAIK.

and what reason does she have to return to Thailand?

R to R is not the be all and end all of an application, but I have stated why, elsewhere.

Moss

[the scouser]

No: if her permission to stay expired in Sept. 07, then it'll be a totally new application for a visa which is needed.

Just because your g/f has been previously married does not mean that a subsequent marriage is bound to fail, and in her favour is that when her husband cleared off to the Netherlands, she was not at any point required to leave the UK by the authorities, but, instead, returned to Thailand of her own volition.

Scouse.

[PhilHarries]

OK Sharpie100, I apologise for my earlier remarks but you have to admit your op looked dodgy.

£255k house on a £21k salary, you are one lucky lucky guy. Well the other, more knowledgable, members have given you some heads up regards visas. It really only leaves you to read some of the other threads and, from my perspective, for a visitors visa you need to prove a long term relationship and she has to show a reason to return to Thailand. I believe you will also have to show access to sufficient funds to support her during her visit and, I am open to correction here, she has to show significant funds of her own in addition to employment records.

Best of British and, once again, I apologise for my earlier cynicism.

Mossy,

my remark regarding working in a bar was based on other members experiences with the embassy and the way they look for a reason to refuse. It would be a lot better if it could be listed as a bar/restaurant but now she's working in a beauty salon will certainly look better. But whatever IMO the big hurdle is the reason to return to Thailand although her previous visa may carry sufficient weight to get through.

[Sharpie100]

Well guys,

I just want to say that this has certainly opened my eyes to the way ahead, and thanks to you all for putting me on the path to hopefully making a life for me and my girlfriend Saowanee. Phil dont worry about your first pointers, they made me stand up and take a good look at the situation we are in and having read the last post you wrote, actually made me very emotional and I shed a few tears as you were seeing this from the outside in and making some good harsh points to show that VISA's aren't easy. Theres no point in making it out to be anything other than some what DIFFICULT. I have realised that the way ahead is to be prepared, in every way.

Again to you all THANKS and hopefully one day I can return a post saying we made it.

Cheers

[Mossfinn]

Hi Philly

for a visitors visa you need to prove a long term relationship and she has to show a reason to return to Thailand. I believe you will also have to show access to sufficient funds to support her during her visit and, I am open to correction here, she has to show significant funds of her own

I agree they will have to show some commitment, but I have known some get a visa after a short time, but they do have time on their hands, which is a good thing in many ways.

If he is the sponsor, then he only needs to show sufficients finances to support her during the visit, without recourse to public funds.

my remark regarding working in a bar was based on other members experiences with the embassy and the way they look for a reason to refuse. It would be a lot better if it could be listed as a bar/restaurant but now she's working in a beauty salon will certainly look better. But whatever IMO the big hurdle is the reason to return to Thailand although her previous visa may carry sufficient weight to get through.

Because people choose this form of a profession, it does not necessarily preclude them from getting a visa, past history will have an effect on the decision and we have all seen some pretty dodgy decisions on here, regarding some good and solid applications.

There is a third way and that is to be economical with the truth, not lying, but non disclosure, if the question isn't asked directly is not lying and a bar/restaurant would be fine.

I wont go on about R & R, yes it is important, but a solid application can and possibly will help in this area.

Mossy

[Mahout Angrit]

Sharpie

As it appears any visa she had has expired then she must apply anew. As it is a visit she wishes then she applies for a visitors visa. Whilst anyone can apply for a visa, I would wait until she is divorced as it would look a little odd that you are sponsoring another man's wife (although there is no official reason why you should wait).

For a visit visa she needs to demonstrate that

1) she has funds for the trip

2) there is suitable and sufficient accommodation for her in UK

3) She has a reason to return

That's all.

You, as a Sponsor can provide sufficient evidence for the first two points.

The third point is very important and is the cause of most failures, a job, property are some reasons to present as evidence that she is likely to return.

Evidence of your ongoing friendship/relationship and how you met will also be needed to explain why you will be sponsoring her.

There is plenty of info on this site with tales of success and failure, use the search facility within this forum on the words "tourist" and "visitor" and it will reveal links and hints from other threads.

Good luck

[vinny]

Showing strong ties is one way of showing reason to return.